Northstar

8 | www.travelweekly-asia.com By Naomi Neoh Gone are the days when music festivalgoers sport the clichéd funky tattoos, band tees and youthful spirit. As festivals in Asia grow in popularity, its audience profile has diversified beyond the primary crowd of hardcore partygoers, making it a significant tourism draw for destinations. This trajectory resonates with how one of the stalwarts in the festival circuit began. Arguably one of Asia's most iconic music festivals, ZoukOut launched in 2000 to a festival turnout of 9,000. In the last three years, the festival has seen a turnout of about 40,000, with a steady increase of tourists from around the region and a younger pool of revellers. Nearly 40% of visitors are from Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Hong Kong. "This year, we hope to reach out to more Asian countries, especially China and Indonesia, where we've seen more interest," said Andrew Li, CEO of Zouk Group. But as audience preferences evolve, festivals also need to grow. "Music as an industry is ever evolving, and with it is the need to provide our guests with experiences that are multi-faceted and multi- genre," remarked Li. While nightlife festival experiences are not new, daytime beach festivals can be a breath of fresh air, according to Rainata Tjoa, director of events & promotions, The Mulia, Mulia Resort & Villas - Nusa Dua, Bali. Positioning itself as an exclusive and luxurious festival for "party-enthusiasts", Rapture will make its debut on the music festival circuit this September with performances by an impressive lineup of A-list artists. Agent opportunities Keen to fill a gap in the market on music tourism, music specialist travel agency, Gig Life Asia, was birthed as a way to provide a comprehensive guide and customised travel packages for festivalgoers. "There is a rapidly growing market for music festivals across Asia at the moment. Bali is a particularly booming market at the moment, as is India," observes Priya Dewan, founder, Gig Life Asia, who sees the potential for music tourism to grow further, as more are increasingly willing to travel for the right festival experience. With unique concepts, good programming and execution, festivals provide an organic way for destinations to market themselves. And this potential has not gone unnoticed by national tourism organisations. For instance, the Tourism Authority of Thailand has partnered Wonderfruit, a music and lifestyle festival with a focus on sustainability for the past three years. Said festival founder and CEO Pranitan Phornprapha, "We also work with several hotels and offer accommodation packages in Pattaya, which hopes to bring more support to the local community and bring more tourism to the area." COVER STORY Music Festivals Best for… an exclusive, glam experience: Rapture – Mulia Summer Party BALI, INDONESIA Asia's grooviest spots Here, we bring you some of the highlights on the live music festival circuit around Asia happening in the second half of the year. Soon to make its debut on the music festival circuit, Rapture has the makings of a truly luxurious festival experience with its private beachfront destination in Nusa Dua and an impressive lineup of A-listers including Fergie, Mark Ronson and Liam Payne, who will be making his first solo appearance in Indonesia. Organised by The Mulia, Mulia Resort & Villas - Nusa Dua Bali, the festival stands out with its intimate setting targeting 1,500 to 2,000 guests and will kick off at noon. Look out for… High-style inclusions such as free-flow alcoholic beverages, canapés, exclusive VIP areas and priority admission – made possible by 14 different VIP pricing categories and a general admission category. Make the most of the beach festival experience by renting additional items such as 'floaties' and sun loungers to chill out. Ticket sales for the September 1 event have seen good uptake, with at least four VIP ticket categories already sold out. The event is strictly for guests age 18 and above. MAIN PHOTO AND ILLUSTRATION CREDITS: GETTY IMAGES Diverse and burgeoning, music festivals in Asia are riding on impressive crowd turnouts, unique concepts and pushing the envelope on immersive travel experiences. The rave about in Asia The Mulia's private beachfront in Nusa Dua will host Rapture in style. With its beginnings as a festival promoting the mineral-rich Boryeong mud, the festival has since included live music segments as one of its key lifestyle components, with previous high-profile acts including K-Pop star Psy. More than three million people, of which 600,000 are foreigners, flock yearly to the quaint little sea town of Boryeong in the western part of the Korean Peninsula. This year, the summer festival will run from July 13 to 22. Look out for… The opening and closing World K-Pop concerts and a Mud M Concert. Best for… Korean vibes: Boryeong Mud Festival SOUTH KOREA Psy and BlockBBastarz rocked the stages at Boryeong Mud Festival. MUSIC FESTIVALS

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